Hood lift apparatus in a vehicle

ABSTRACT

A vehicle including a frame, and a hood hinged to the frame for swinging between lowered and raised positions. Interposed between the frame and hood is a pedal-operated leverage mechanism which may be operated through the action of a person stepping on a pedal connected to the mechanism to swing the hood from its lowered to its raised position.

United States Patent [72] Inventor James C. Hartman 7575 8.15. JohnsonCreek Blvd., Portland, Oreg. 97206 [21] Appl. No. 765,184 [22] FiledOct. 4, 1968 [45] Patented Jan. 19, 1971 [54] HOOD LIFT APPARATUS IN AVEHICLE 4 Claims, 3 Drawing'Figs.

[52] US. Cl 180/69, 49/345 [51] Int. Cl B62d 25/10 [50] Field of Search180/69, 89; 296/76; 49/345, 339, 324, 263; 312/139, 319; 126/192;98/2(.1); 220/36 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,571,0901/1926 Dawson 180/69(C) 2,124,349 7/1938 Herbster 49/263 2,193,1113/1940 Peterson.... l80/69(C)X 3,017,944 1/1962 Norrie 180/69(C)3,232,368 2/1966 Sullivan 180/69(C) 3,419,099 12/1968 Brumbaugh etal..., l80/69(C) Primary Examiner-Benjamin Hersh AssistantExqminerMilton L. Smith Attorney-Kolisch & Hartwell ABSTRACT: A vehicleincluding a frame, and a hood hinged to the frame for swinging betweenlowered and raised positions. interposed between the frame and hood is apedaloperated leverage mechanism which may be operated through theaction of a person stepping on a pedal connected to the mechanism toswing the hood from its lowered to its raised position.

PATENIED JAN 1 91971 rill/I rlIIl/li James C.Har+man INVE N TORapparatus which is pedal-operated, and which offers a mechanicaladvantage that facilitates lifting of such a hood.

Large vehicles, such as a tractor of the type employed to haul atrailer, typically have a relative massive hood hinged to the forwardend of the frame in the vehicle. With present constructions, to obtainaccess to the engine, a person must stand upon the bumper or some othersuitable footrest adjacent the forward end of the frame, and tugforwardly on the hood to swing it to a raised position exposing theengine. It is often difficult for one man to do this alone, particularlyif any mud, etc. has collected on the hood, adding to its weight.

Some have proposed to solve the problem by incorporating spring devicescounterbalancing the mass of the hood. This has not been entirelysatisfactory, since they are under stress with the hood lowered, and asa consequence they tend to ,break down, and cause the hood to rideimproperly when lowered. Further, massive springs are expensive, andtake up room. i

A general object of the present invention is to provide in a vehiclehaving a frame and a hood-hinged to the frame for swinging betweenlowered and raised positions, novel apparatus for assisting in liftingthe hood which takes care of the above-mentioned difficulties in apractical and satisfactory manner.

Morespecifically, an object of the invention is to provide suchapparatus which is manually operated, andincludes leverage mechanismproviding a mechanical advantage whereby a man may lift the hood easilywithout springs needed to assist in the lifting.

A further object is to provide such [apparatus which operates toreleasably maintain the hood in a raised position once the same has beenshifted such a position.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatuscomprises a pedal-operated leverage mechanism which is interposedbetweenthe frame and the hood in the vehicle. The pedal protrudes from thefront of the vehicle, and when stepped upon actuates the leveragemechanism to cause a lifting force to t be exerted on the hood. A manstanding on the pedal further induces raising of the hood by pulling onan upper forward extremity of the hood.

A further object of the invention is'to provide hood lift apparatuswhich is relatively simple in construction, and which occupies littlespace on a vehicle. V

These and other objects and advantages attained bythe invention willbecome ,more fully apparent as the description which follows is readinconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: n

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating the front part of atruck tractor having a hood hinged to and occupying paratusprovidedaccording to the invention for lifting the FIG. 2 is a view taken alongthe line 2-2 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view which is similar to FIG. I, but which illustrates thehood occupying a raised position relative to the frame in the tractor.

Turning now to the drawings, indicated generally at is the front part ofa truck tractor, or vehicle, of the type emtractors engine (not shown).The hood comprises a pair of laterally spaced sides 22a, joined togetherthrough a top 22!: (FIG. 1) and a front 220 (FIG. 2). Mounted adjacentthe forward margin of top 22b, and immediately adjacent the center ofthe hood are handles, or grip members, such as the handle a loweredposition relative to a frame in the tractor, and apshown at 24 in FIG.I. Suitably anchored on sides 22a in the hood are fenders 26 which, withthe hood in its lowered position (as shown in FIG. I), extend over thewheels in the forward wheel assemblies.

Hood 22 is pivoted for swinging about a substantially horizontal hingeaxis which extends transversely of the forward end of frame 12 through apair of hinge assemblies 28 located adjacent laterally opposite sidesand the base of the hood. More specifically, each hinge assemblycomprises an elongated spring member 30 having one end suitably anchoredto a side 22a in the hood. The other end of each spring member is curvedand turned back upon itself, and is pivoted to bumper 16 through a pivotconnection 32. Spring members 30 in the hinge assemblies areconventional units, and are provided to permit a certain amount ofrelative movement between the hood and frame with the hood in itslowered position. Hinge assemblies 28 accommodate swinging of the hoodupwardly and forwardly from its lowered position in FIG. 1, to a raisedposition as illustrated for the hood in FIG. 3.

Considering now the construction of pedal-operated apparatus providedaccording to the invention for assisting in swinging the hood from itslowered to its raised position, such apparatus comprises an elongatedtorsion bar 34. Bar 34 substantially parallels the pivot axis providedfor the hood by pivot connections 32. Opposite ends of the bar arejournaled on laterally spaced brackets 36 which are suitably anchored tothe rear of bumper 16. Joined to a midregion of bar 34 and midwaybetween the sides of the hood is a crank 38 extending .radially from thebar and forwardly of the vehicle adjacent the base of the hood. Crank 38supports and elongated pedal 40. As can be seen clearly in FIG. 1, withhood 22in its lowered positiomthe crank extends forwardly and downwardlyof bar 34, with pedal 40 located substantially directlybelow bumper l6midway between the sides of the hood.

1 Anchored to each end of bar 34, and thus adjacent each side of thehood, and extending radially from the bar, is an elongated arm 42. Arms42 are considerably shorter than crank 38. The outer end of each arm ispivoted, through a pivot connection 44, to one end of elongated link 46.The other end of each'link is pivoted through a pivot connection 48, toa bracket 50 which is suitably anchored to a fender and thus forms partof the hood, Links 46 together comprise link means herein.

lift hood 22 from its loweredto its raised position, a person steps uponpedal 40yand grasps handles 22. He then leans forwardly (to the right inFIG. I in a manner tugging on the handles and pushing downwardly andrearwardly on the pedal. The leverage mechanism, including crank 38,torsion bar 34, links 46 and arms 42 and brackets 50, offers aconsiderable mechanical advantage between the pedal and hood. This isbecause of the difference in length between crank 38 and arms 52, andthe interposition of links 46 between the arms and brackets 50. Becauseof such advantage, with a person's weight supported on the pedal, andwith the person leaning in the manner described, a substantial upwardforce results on the hood which swings the same easily toward its raisedposition shown in FIG. 3.

It will be noted that once the hood is raised it stays there without theneed for propping it in place. This is because of the fact that thehood, on swinging forwardly to its final raised position, swings past anovercenter position with respect to the pivot axis provided by pivotconnections 32. With the hood moved past its overcenter position,gravity then functions to tend to pull the hood further forwardly aboutthe pivot axis provided, but such is prevented by the means that definesthe final raised position on the hood. In the embodiment of theinvention herein disclosed, it is the links 46 and arms 42 which defineits raised position by assuming the position shown in FIG. 3, where eachlink is aligned with its associated arm, and the link and arm extendalong a straight line between bar 34 and pivot connection 48.

To lower the hood, a person simply urges it back through its overcenterposition, whereupon gravity then acts to return it to its loweredposition. Lowering may be controlled by exerting a slight force on pedal40 braking downward movement.

Thus, the invention provides novel apparatus which greatly simplifiesand eases the task of lifting the engine-covering hood in a tractor. Theleverage mechanism which is operated by pedal 40, because of themechanical advantage which it offers, permits even a relatively lightperson easily to swing the hood to its raised position.

The apparatus is convenient to use because of the central location ofthe pedal relative to opposite sides of the hood, and because of theproximity of the pedal to handles 24. Skewing during lifting isprevented because of the novel laterally spaced links and arms whichoperate simultaneously to transmit a lifting force to opposite sides ofthe hood.

It will be apparent also that the proposed apparatus is relativelysimple in construction, and occupies little space on a truck.

While an embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it isappreciated that variations and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, it is desiredto cover all such variations and modifications which are apparent tothose skilled in the art and that come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

lclaim:

l. [n a vehicle including a frame and a hood hinged adjacent a forwardextremity to the frame for swinging about a hinge axis from a lowered toa raised position, said hood including adjacent the top and forwardextremity thereof a grip element for hand gripping:

leverage mechanism operatively connected to said hood actuatable, withthe hood in its said lowered position, to swing the same to its saidraised position;

an exposed pedal operatively connected to said leverage mechanismextending forwardly on the vehicle from this connection with theleverage mechanism, said pedal being located adjacent the base of thehood between the hoods sides and substantially directly below said gripelement, said pedal being adapted to be acted upon by a persons foot andoperable when so acted upon to actuate said mechanism; and

said leverage mechanism being constructed with a mechanical advantageprovided between said pedal and said hood whereby when a certain forceis applied by a foot to said pedal a considerably greater force tendingto swing said hood is applied through said mechanism to said hood.

2. In a vehicle including a frame and a hood hinged adjacent a forwardextremity to the frame for forward swinging about a hinge axis from alowered to a raised position:

leverage mechanism operatively connected to said hood actuatable, withthe hood in its said lowered position, to swing the same to its saidraise position, said leverage mechanism comprising an elongated torsionbar extending transversely of the vehicle journaled for rotation aboutits longitudinal axis, a pair of arms joined to said bar adjacentopposite sides of said hood, and a link for each arm linking the arm toa side of said hood; and

an exposed pedal operatively connected to said leverage mechanismadapted to be acted upon by a persons foot and operable when so actedupon to actuate said leverage mechanism, said leverage mechanism beingconstructed with a mechanical advantage provided between said pedal andsaid hood whereby when a certain force is applied by a foot to saidpedal, a considerably greater force tending to swing said hood isapplied through said mechanism to said hood.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said pedal is joined to said torsionbar through a crank located between the ends of the bar and beneath thehood substantially midway between the sides of the hood.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said torsion bar is disposed beneaththe hood adjacent the front of the hood, and the link for each arm whichlinks the arm to a side of the hood is pivotally connected to the hoodat a point spaced radially to the rear of said hinge axis.

1. In a vehicle including a frame and a hood hinged adjacent a forwardextremity to the frame for swinging about a hinge axis from a lowered toa raised o position, said hood including adjacent the top and forwardextremity thereof a grip element for hand gripping: leverage mechanismoperatively connected to said hood actuatable, with the hood in its saidlowered position, to swing the same to its said raised position; anexposed pedal operatively connected to said leverage mechanism extendingforwardly on the vehicle from this connection with the leveragemechanism, said pedal being located adjacent the base of the hoodbetween the hood''s sides and substantially directly below said gripelement, said pedal being adapted to be acted upon by a person''s footand operable when so acted upon to actuate said mechanism; and saidleverage mechanism being constructed with a mechanical advantageprovided between said pedal and said hood whereby when a certain forceis applied by a foot to said pedal a considerably greater force tendingto swing said hood is applied through said mechanism to said hood.
 2. Ina vehicle including a frame and a hood hinged adjacent a forwardextremity to the frame for forward swinging about a hinge axis from alowered to a raised position: leverage mechanism operatively connectedto said hood actuatable, with the hood in its said lowered position, toswing the same to its said raise position, said leverage mechanismcomprising an elongated torsion bar extending transversely of thevehicle journaled for rotation about its longitudinal axis, a pair ofarms joined to said bar adjacent opposite sides of said hood, and a linkfor each arm linking the arm to a side of said hood; and an exposedpedal operatively connected to said leverage mechanism adapted to beacted upon by a person''s foot and operable when so acted upon toactuate said leverage mechanism, said leverage mechanism beingconstructed with a mechanical advantage provided between said pedal andsaid hood whereby when a certain force is applied by a foot to saidpedal, a considerably greater force tending to swing said hood isapplied through said mechanism to said hood.
 3. The vehicle of claim 2,wherein said pedal is joined to said torsion bar through a crank locatedbetween the ends of the bar and beneath the hood substantially midwaybetween the sides of the hood.
 4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein saidtorsion bar is disposed beneath the hood adjacent the front of the hood,and the link for each arm which links the arm to a side of the hood ispivotally connected to the hood at a point spaced radially to the rearof said hinge axis.